Went from a mild Osteopenia DEXA to Osteoporosis in two years

[Anonymous]

Contrary to what people used to believe, walking doesn't help with bone density. Learning how to properly life heavy weights (machines, free weights, kettlebells, as an example) will help. I have a friend who swears that yoga helped her immensely, but she does a lot of it and intensely.

I love the leg press machine, the kind that you sit lower at an angle and press up at an angle. For a while I was doing upper body weights and lots of walking for mild osteopenia. My upper body went back to normal, but my hips got slightly worse. Still in Osteopenia range. My mother and grandmother both had osteoporosis. I have no balance issues so I have no added jump rope and lower body heavy weights.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are parathyroid conditions that can cause the body to strip out calcium. You should see an endocrinologist.

This ^^^. Hyperparathyroidism can cause the parathyroid gland to go haywire in its control of serum calcium. You must have your serum calcium, PTH and Vitamin D tested together in the same blood draw (one without the others is meaningless). There must be an appropriate relationship between the 3: vitamin D should be above 30, Calcium below 10 (if you are over 30) and PTH must be normal *and* in inverse relationship to calcium (so if calcium is 10, PTH must be in the lower half of the "normal" range).

Hyperparathyroidism is often a missed diagnosis, which is unfortunate because surgery by a high volume surgeon is quick, has very good outcomes, is the only cure.

Hyperparathyroidism resulting in a calcium of 10 or higher indicates that the body is pulling calcium from the bones to maintain that higher serum calcium. Over time that can cause osteoporosis and/or kidney stones.

The symptoms or hyperparathyroidism are diffuse and non-specific. For me it was: exhaustion, poor sleep brain fog, motivation, obesity, frequent urination, muscle weakening, back pain and muscle spasms, heart palpitations, low vitamin D, and increased blood pressure. All of these symptoms went away within days after surgery.

There was an article in the Washington Post by a woman (not me) who went through several years trying before she received a hyperparathyroid diagnosis.

BTW, your PCP is terrible if he/she doesn't know that endocrinologists monitor osteoporosis and other bone metabolism issues. Please get a new PCP.

This is why the 24 hour urine collection test is important. OP, you definitely need one of these.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are parathyroid conditions that can cause the body to strip out calcium. You should see an endocrinologist.

This ^^^. Hyperparathyroidism can cause the parathyroid gland to go haywire in its control of serum calcium. You must have your serum calcium, PTH and Vitamin D tested together in the same blood draw (one without the others is meaningless). There must be an appropriate relationship between the 3: vitamin D should be above 30, Calcium below 10 (if you are over 30) and PTH must be normal *and* in inverse relationship to calcium (so if calcium is 10, PTH must be in the lower half of the "normal" range).

Hyperparathyroidism is often a missed diagnosis, which is unfortunate because surgery by a high volume surgeon is quick, has very good outcomes, is the only cure.

Hyperparathyroidism resulting in a calcium of 10 or higher indicates that the body is pulling calcium from the bones to maintain that higher serum calcium. Over time that can cause osteoporosis and/or kidney stones.

The symptoms or hyperparathyroidism are diffuse and non-specific. For me it was: exhaustion, poor sleep brain fog, motivation, obesity, frequent urination, muscle weakening, back pain and muscle spasms, heart palpitations, low vitamin D, and increased blood pressure. All of these symptoms went away within days after surgery.

There was an article in the Washington Post by a woman (not me) who went through several years trying before she received a hyperparathyroid diagnosis.

BTW, your PCP is terrible if he/she doesn't know that endocrinologists monitor osteoporosis and other bone metabolism issues. Please get a new PCP.

This is why the 24 hour urine collection test is important. OP, you definitely need one of these.

Urine calcium can be helpful but isn’t definitive. I had a urine calcium below the cut off for Hyperparathyroidism, but fortunately, I had an ultrasound that showed the parathyroid adenoma and I had persistent mildly high serum calcium with inappropriately normal PTH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Try jumping exercises and heavy weights. Even if you go on medication, they may help.

I would not jump unless doctor okays it. If your bones are too weak, jumping could be bad.

But, for good enough bones, jumping works well. Just ask doctor first.

Right - I would trade half the walking for additional weight bearing exercise. Add lifting weights (try to find a personal trainer who understands osteoporosis), and for cardio try an erg machine which adds a resistance component.

NP does anyone know a good trainer in dmv area (preferably northern Virginia) who understands osteoporosis?

[Anonymous]

Are you taking any acid reducers? These can affect absorption.

[Anonymous]

Eat 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight

Check out the Liftmor studies

[Anonymous]

Fewer reps, heavier weights